An image of team of oxen in head yokes, designed by Dixmont artist Grace Keown, was chosen for the 2013 Common Ground Country Fair poster. The poster was unveiled at MOFGA's annual meeting during the Maine Agricultural Trades Show in Augusta.

Each year, MOFGA invites Maine residents and MOFGA members (regardless of residence) to submit a design for our Common Ground Country Fair poster. The selected design is featured on the Fair poster, website, T-shirt and promotional literature. Plus, the artist is featured in this newspaper and in a press release on the poster contest and selected design. In addition to these benefits, the winning artist receives $1,000. For complete guidelines, including technical specifications, eligibility requirements and timeline, please visit the Poster link on the Fair page at www.mofga.org or contact the MOFGA office at commonground@mofga.org or 207-568-4142.

MOFGA Accepting Applications for Exhibitor and Presenters for the 2013 Fair

Would you like to be a vendor, exhibitor or demonstrator at the 2013 Common Ground Country Fair? Do you know of a presenter, artisan or Maine enterprise that would be a good fit for Common Ground? The application process for vendors, exhibitors and speakers for the 2013 Fair is underway.

If you are interested in participating in the Fair as a vendor, exhibitor, demonstrator or speaker, but unsure of which area at the Fair is appropriate for you, call us for help or review the area descriptions and guidelines posted on the Fair pages of our website.

The Fair Planning Team is actively seeking Common Ground enthusiasts to join the ranks of volunteers who coordinate the Fair. We are looking for volunteers interested in working with established teams to co-coordinate an area as well as volunteers interested in taking on new roles or filling vacancies in existing areas.

If you have any interest in getting involved with the planning and management of the Fair, many parts of the Fair could use your help. If you would like to take a leadership role in any element of MOFGA's annual celebration, please contact Jim Ahearne or April Boucher in the MOFGA office at commonground@mofga.org or 207-568-4142.

Order seeds and start plants for your garden. Results could be entered in the Exhibition Hall displays or offered to the Common Kitchen to help feed volunteers during the Fair. If you do grow a row for the kitchen, please let Bill Whitman know at mystymountainfarm@megalink.net. Thanks!

Work with your local schools and teachers to plan a student field trip to Common Ground. It's never too early to ask, especially because the Fair comes right after the start of the school year. All student groups get into the Fair free on Friday, and we offer partial reimbursements for school group travel expenses.

Organize a community bus trip to Common Ground. It’s a terrific way to help conserve resources while getting preferred parking near the Rose Gate!

Tune your bicycle and body to bicycle, partway or all the way, to the Fair. Each year nearly 600 cyclists pedal to the Fair. Valet bicycle parking is provided courtesy of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine.

To help us with the seasonal wave of administrative work on the Fair, we hire a part-time seasonal assistant in the MOFGA office. The ideal candidate is available from early May through early October, is experienced working on events and with volunteers, and has a deep enthusiasm for the work of MOFGA, especially the Common Ground Country Fair. The successful candidate also possesses a high level of computer literacy, including proficiency with Macs, cloud-based software such as GoogleDocs, and experience working with a database, spreadsheets and web content management systems. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about this position, please contact Fair director Jim Ahearne at jahearne@mofga.org.